By Amy Woodyatt, CNN
Vogue Philippines has announced that Apo Whang-Od, a 106-year-old tattoo artist from the Philippines, will grace the cover of its April issue. This makes her the oldest person ever to appear on the front of Vogue.
Whang-Od, also known as Maria Oggay, has been perfecting the art of hand-tapping tattoos since she was a teenager, learning under her father’s instruction. She resides in the mountain village of Buscalan, about 15 hours north of Manila, in Kalinga province, and is considered the country’s oldest mambabatok, or traditional Kalinga tattooist.
Hand-tapped tattoos created by Whang-Od using just a bamboo stick, a thorn from a pomelo tree, water, and coal were once earned by indigenous Butbut warriors. Now, international visitors seeking her signature geometric designs make up much of her clientele.
Heralded as the last mambabatok of her generation, she has imprinted the symbols of the Kalinga tribe, signifying strength, bravery, and beauty, on…
2023-03-31 10:27:37
Original from www.cnn.com
